By Paul McGill from NICVA
Published on 19 Jun 2007
The Refugee Action Group has launched a new edition of Forced to Flee, which seeks to separate the myths from the truth about refugees and asylum seekers.
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Marking the start of Refugee Week in Northern Ireland, the booklet debunks the notion of refugees living comfortable lives at taxpayers’ expense.
In fact, asylum seekers receive only £40.22p, much less than the level of basic income support which itself is below the poverty line.
Buster Cox, chair of the Refugee Action Group, told the launch that the booklet should help make Northern Ireland a safer refuge for asylum seekers.
"It will enable politicians, journalists and the general public to have an accurate picture and an informed debate about the reality of asylum and how we can provide a better welcome than we do now".
Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International, criticised the ‘dodgy decision making’ of the Home Office based on disbelieving the stories of asylum seekers.
"They are left to live on thin air or imprisoned in Scotland, far from friends, family and legal help. Often they are handcuffed and freighted from one detention centre to another.
"There seems to be a policy of deterrence, telling asylum seekers that the regime here is so difficult that they should not think of coming here."
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Forced to Flee
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Copies of Forced to Flee, which has been funded by the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, can be downloaded here or are available from admin@lawcentreni.org.
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